How Classics Are Made

April 15, 2016

by Marvin Street

Whenever the topic of men’s style gets brought up, it’s inevitable that you’re going to eventually hear mention of “classic” pieces – things like suits, jeans, and leather jackets. All of which are pieces that have withstood the test of time and find themselves a staple in many a closet decades after their inception as clothing items.

The predictability of their mention has often led me to ponder, “What exactly makes these items classics? And why?” And one thing that has stood out to me about their timelessness, beyond the simple aesthetics and body flattery, is their construction and durability. Upon further thought I realized that, when you think about it, you’d find a fairly consistent list of materials used to construct the clothing items that were worn by your grandfather, your father, and now you. I’m referring to leather, cotton, and wool.

Leather

Jackets. Shoes. Belts. Watches. Bags. Embellishments. Man has been utilizing leather for various clothing applications since as far as ancient Assyria and beyond. There’s no disputing its classification as truly a “classic” material. With proper processing (tanning and other preservative processes are necessary to keep leather from rotting or drying out and crumbling), leather is durable and long lasting – two of the main characteristics of most items that fall under the category of “classics”.

This is why leather-soled shoes are on the more expensive side, but also the longest lasting. A proper leather belt will develop it’s own character with age and wear. The same can be said of quality leather jackets – whose bad boy image has remained iconic across decades.

We won’t get into the details yet about the types of leather, but your higher quality leather is “full grain”, while lesser quality leather is labeled “genuine leather”. For middle of the road quality, look for “top grain”. We’ll cover more of this in a future newsletter.

Cotton

As what is probably the most ubiquitous on the list, cotton definitely holds it own as a prominent material of classic clothing. When I talk about “classic” clothing, I’m not referring to just any cotton. Only well-made, long-fiber cotton.

When you spend money on high-quality denim, you’re typically paying for better construction and the durability provided by using higher quality cotton weaves. Your dad’s favorite, 2-decade old, crew neck sweatshirt from his younger days is made from a higher quality and longer lasting cotton, as well. Your grandfather’s Oxford Cloth Button Down from his collegiate days? You guessed it – solidly constructed cotton.

Wool

Wool is probably the most obvious item on this list, considering its role as a mainstay of very typically classic men’s pieces like suits and sweaters. You’ll also find it (sometimes as a blend) to make things like flannel, fleece, and tweed.

Wool’s main appeal comes from it’s remarkable ability to help the body regulate temperature. Its fibers are simultaneously great at keeping air trapped close to the body for warmth while also maintaining moisture-wicking abilities that help keep the body from overheating by drawing away sweat and allowing it to evaporate quickly. (Cotton is also a warm material, but it absorbs and holds onto moisture – eventually making it a poor insulator once it becomes soaked.)

Going Forward

So what do you do with this information? We mentioned all of the above to raise awareness on some of the materials that you should pay attention to. We’re not saying that you need to go out and buy the highest quality material for every garment you buy. But what we are saying is to pay attention to the materials of what you’re buying and read the tags. You don’t want to be re-buying that item in another year because it fell apart.